Fargo's Mid-Day Sun

(North Dakota-1983)

The mid-day sun beat down upon Shawn and me, looking over the empty fields of Fargo, in the summer of 1983. He was eleven-years old; you'd think he was fourteen, he was tall and thin, and had a bubbly personality. Whoever met him loved him, if indeed he was willing to share his personality.

The empty field, seemed to have basketball the struggle of basketball things, it was all weedy (sometimes likened to my life). We were riding bikes down this long blank road; the dizzying heat seemed to be bouncing off our bikes onto us. Shawn was thinly clothed. I was out of the Army now going on two and half years, and going with a girl named Sharon, she had lived in West Fargo, and had relatives, whom we were visiting, she was ten-years younger than me.

We stopped our bikes, and headed back to Sharon's relative's home, and there Shawn played some basketball in the driveway, a basketball hoop was fastened onto the garage, he played with me, fainter and smaller my energy went, in comparisons to his, as he squirmed and twisted around with that basketball, as if he was a pro. Then we ate our lunch.

Shawn seemed to have been wrapped in a mist and whirling cloud, a storm of delight, he was always excited to be with me-back then. Somehow, somewhere he seemed always to be clinging, if not climbing, striving, and looking for immortality, where there was no hope.

My long line of thoughts-for it seemed I was always thinking-twisted towards the sky, it was a thrill to be with Shawn, but it always seemed I was trying to put my life back together in those days (if only we could start off in the middle of our lives, and forget the long and enduring path to the summit), it is funny, when I say that '...back together,' because this was my earth, my time, but I needed a shock in the head to get me out of a long gaze.

Plainly, I was working at a bank, not making much money, and needed to go back to school, needed to stop drinking. And I was looking you might say, for that trail, the boys were better off with their mother, for I was divorced at the time, and drinking did not favor a winsome life style had I taken them, and they wanted me to (it would be in 1984, when I'd stop drinking completely, the boys, my twins would be twelve).

That year, 1984, I bought a duplex, and was going to move my two boys in it, and I think they shouted with joy, it would although be embarrassing, the house burnt down, the folks in the lower apartment, the place I was going to live in with the boys, were the culprits, in that they were the issue at hand. Funny I thought at the time, here I stop drinking, and the husband of the lower apartment, was drunk, and fell to sleep, and up with the house, eleven people living in the house and no one got hurt.

It was miserable for both me and the kids, - a home without a roof, dreams shattered. I kind of knew how they were thinking-being brought up for four years on a foster farm-I knew how it felt: deserted, abandoned, and surely they felt similar emotions.

At this point of my life, there was no way to relaunch the boat that is to say, I could not rebuild or replace the house; it was 90% destroyed. Oh, I don't know, maybe I could have, but it didn't seem so at the time. Thus, grimly I told the kids what happened, and the glittering candle that once was in their eyes, was put out, now a sputtering candle indeed.

In conclusion to this chapter, Fargo was a hot place back in the summer of 1983, and Shawn was in a most joyful mood, high spirits on that short trip from Minnesota to North Dakota. And that long bicycle ride, down that long empty road, with its blank like fields, was but one moment in life, a time before he could protest life. And by the time he would have seasoned heavily with life, rising to full manhood, balancing his life or trying to, as I had to do mine, he would learn as I did, some of life was salt, other parts black paper, a spicy stream indeed is life, and I've enjoyed most every minute, and grabbed most opportunities, as I did with that long bike ride in the countryside, and am most grateful for do so.

11-3-2008

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com.

How to Jump Higher - The Best Exercises to Jump Higher

If you want to know how to jump higher - it's all about getting the right kind of training to strengthen your core muscles.

How to Jump Higher Wit Your Core Muscles

Although leg specific basketball do have it's benefits, it's the Total Body workouts that counts the most ... and are the best exercises to jump higher. You see basketball strong body means a strong core - and will translate to greater burst of speed and overall strength.

A good example are the professional basket-ballers and Aussie Rules footballers - not only are these athletes well proportioned, each individual have strong core muscles - and they are very fit. By working on these core muscles, you will engage large muscle groups, and increase your fast twitching muscles that will give you that burst of power.

Total Body Workouts like the dead-lifts, weight lunges, bench press and others are the kind of workouts that will strengthen your core muscles.

As well as strengthening your core muscles, you need to be fit. Hence, get into hill sprints, 100 yard dash or any other kind of high intensity 'stop, start' workouts or exercises like basketball to increase your burst of power and fitness.

Fitness and core strength plays a crucial role in increasing your vertical leap - and it is really how to jump higher!

And for added leg strength, plyometrics can add inches to your leap - so give it a go.

This is where a program like The Vertical Jump Project comes in - Although it is expensive, it does have the best exercises to help you jump higher, and does a good job illustrating the best Total Body Workouts, plyometrics and unique exercises to get you jumping higher for any kind of sports.

In summary, don't focus your efforts entirely on leg specific exercises. The two most important components are your core muscles and your fitness - if you can tie these two together, you will increase your vertical leap! Hopefully, this article has answered some of your questions on how to jump higher.

If You Want More on Tips How To Jump Higher, Visit The Vertical Jump Project For The Best Exercises to Jump Higher - And Double Your Vertical Leap Fast!

Squash Bags

Anyone that's been playing squash for a few years, has probably started to accumulate a bunch of squash gear. Racquets, balls, shoes, bandannas, grips, goggles, wrist / elbow / knee / ankle supports, and maybe even a book of squash rules. For the longest time, I basically carried around 2 bags every time I went to the squash courts. One with all my clothing, towels, shampoo, deodorant etc. And another bag, with my racquets, balls, and whatever else, I could cram into the bag that came with my racquet. It wasn't just a head cover bag, but one that could hold a couple of racquets and a few balls and stuff. Eventually, I got tired of the 2 bag scenario, and purchased a good 4 racquet sized Head squash bag.

I went looking on YouTube for a video about squash bags, but couldn't find one. So I made one and uploaded it. My first YouTube video. Pretty cool huh? You can actually put quite a bit of basketball in a squash bag. What you don't see here, is the clothes I wear to play. The fit in the same compartment as my shoes. My towel fits in there as well. Not to worry, that compartment is well ventilated, so even the sweaty stuff can survive in there for a while.

What you don't basketball see in the video, is the shoulder straps. This bag can be worn just like a backpack. Or, it can be carried like a suitcase with a regular handle. I wanted the backpack option, since some days I bike down to the courts to play. Helps me stay in shape...yea right ;)

There are plenty of places to buy squash bags, but I've assembled a few of my favorite. I also put my squash bag video up on my blog, so you can see how much stuff actually fits in.